An Arts-Filled, Tasty And Sometimes-Loopy Jaunt Through Life

When I comment about movies on these pages, I try to be a good guy by not revealing all, especially endings. I mean, for anyone with an itch to see a certain flick, that itch might damn near disappear if they become privy to too much telling information.

But a spoiler alert ain’t needed for Free Solo, a documentary profiling the great rock climber Alex Honnold that was released in September and is still in some theaters. That’s because the beans already have been spilled in every review and article that has been written about this movie. In other words, hell yeah, he made it to the top! To the top of El Capitan, that is, the monster, vertical wall of granite in California’s Yosemite National Park. And he reached the top, about 3,000 feet above ground, by climbing El Cap without ropes, a harness or safety equipment of any sort. And without a climbing partner or partners. That’s what free solo means. The only item, other than clothing, that Honnold wore while becoming the first (and, so far, only) person to accomplish this superhuman feat on El Cap was a small bag on his back that contained chalk, a substance he’d periodically coat his hands with, the better to grip the rock. (Others had scaled El Cap over the years, but always with ropes and additional equipment.)

What any rock climber does seems pretty well off the charts to me. Shit, I would make it about two feet off the ground on El Capitan’s face, maybe three. Which isn’t bad actually. Only 2,998 or 2,997 feet to go. But what Honnold did on June 3, 2017 was so far off the charts as to be laughable, in a magnificent way, and nearly inconceivable. The film crew that captured his exploits agree. Skilled rock climbers themselves, they are shown in the documentary, nervous as can be and totally awed by what was taking place in front of their eyes.

For anyone who has a taste for danger and suspense, this is a movie not to be missed. If possible, watch it in a theater rather than at home. Whatever the venue, the bigger the screen the better. My wife, brother and I went to see Free Solo in early November. We sat in the sixth or seventh row of a cinema, nice and close to the action. We were captivated. You will be too.

By the way, when I mentioned for anyone who has a taste for danger and suspense a few sentences ago, I meant to include and an appreciation of guts. As modest and unflappable as Alex appears in Free Solo’s interview segments, there’s no denying that he is in possession of an oceanic amount of guts, and I for one find his courage to be very inspiring, And although not too many people are going to try and scale giant rocks, it’s of course true that in less dramatic ways many or most of us display courage throughout parts or all of our lives. And that’s inspiring too. Hell, for much of humanity, simply getting out of bed and facing the day is a brave act, considering the nasty, even horrific, realities facing them.

I read the late novelist Kent Haruf’s final book, Our Souls At Night (it was published in 2015, the year after Haruf died), a few days after watching Alex climb. There are a variety of ways in which to look at Our Souls At Night, as there are with Free Solo. It’s about love and the lack thereof. It’s about emotional pains that do not fully heal. And it’s also about the guts shown by a man and a woman, each around 70 years old, who throw aside their normal inhibitions and begin a relationship with one another.

Addie Moore and Louis Waters, both widowed, are longtime neighbors who are acquainted only slightly. They live in Holt, Colorado, the fictional town that is the setting for all six of Haruf’s novels. But, as becomes apparent, Addie has had Louis on her mind for some time. One day she pays Louis a visit. Here’s some of what Haruf writes on Our Souls At Night’s second and third pages:

You probably wonder what I’m doing here, she said.Well, I didn’t think you came over to tell me my house looks nice.No, I want to suggest something to you.Oh?Yes. A kind of proposal.Okay.Not marriage, she said.I didn’t think that either.But it’s kind of a marriage-like question. But I don’t know if I can now. I’m getting cold feet. She laughed a little. That’s sort of like marriage, isn’t it.What is?Cold feet.It can be.Yes. Well, I’m just going to say it.I’m listening, Louis said.I wonder if you would consider coming to my house sometimes to sleep with me. What? How do you mean?I mean we’re both alone. We’ve been by ourselves for too long. For years. I’m lonely. I think you might be too. I wonder if you would come and sleep in the night with me. And talk.

Wow! Addie has guts. An abundance of it. Don’t know how many folks in her age bracket would do what she does. Couldn’t be a lot. In any event, Louis accepts Addie’s offer. They begin their affair — a platonic one at the start — cautiously. And, finding that they are getting along just fine, take it to higher levels. They become a strong and true couple, telling each other their life stories, opening up more than they did to their deceased spouses.

Addie and Louis do not go unnoticed in Holt. Snide and angry comments and actions come their way from the small-minded, which includes Addie’s adult son Gene. How do Addie and Louis end up? Hey, unlike with Free Solo, I’m not revealing the conclusion, a conclusion that I found to be wanting in relation to what had preceeded it. Still, I give Our Souls At Night a thumbs-up. Haruf, as is clear from his words above, writes beautifully. His style is direct and unflowery, and the book’s characters feel real.

Alex Honnold doesn’t boast about courage in Free Solo. Neither do Addie Moore or Louis Waters in Our Souls At Night. In fact, the three barely talk about it. But they each own courage and use it for their personal betterment, and in manners that bring no harm to others or to the natural world.

90 thoughts on “Gutsy People: Thoughts About A Movie, A Book, And The Wider World”

Our Souls at Night sounds like a nice novel to read, thanks for the tip! Getting older does have it’s advantages when it comes to just saying what you truly want to say or asking for what you want. I can also say that it could be we just don’t give a shit anymore what others think. How wonderful is that!

Hell, 70’s no age these days. As for the kids – they need to get on with their own lives. When I remarried, I think my kids were all glad I was getting on with life and not their responsibility (although they may have regrets now they have kids and I’m not local enough to baby-sit.)

Great reviews, Neil. I’m familiar with Honnold. What he’s able to do is inconceivable. He’s obviously not suicidal. I guess there are some people for whom the potential of death doesn’t hold the same terror as for the rest of us. They’re not afraid to stare it in the face. Here’s a story about another rock climber with guts, if you’re interested: https://www.outsideonline.com/2238401/biomechatronic-man.

Courage is a societal evaluation, but how one recounts their actions comes down to their own humility.

Honnold climbed, and Addie and Louis became a couple in their 70s. For them, and for the many others who perform “courageous” acts daily, what they do is simply live their lives. People on the outside can use any number of superlatives to describe these actions — courageous, fearless, careless, etc.

It doesn’t change what has happened and only highlights what the observer would or would not do.

Really good posts that beautifully illustrates how there are different kinds of courage. On another strand for this post, the first time I heard the title “Free Solo,” I thought it was another Star Wars movie. 😉

I like your connection of a movie I insisted on seeing the minute it arrived in our city and a book by an author I have enjoyed in the past. I had forgotten about Haruf, to be honest – I may have to try him again.

Now, Free Solo … staggering, huh? I am a wannabe climber (climbed as a kid and still hike where climbers dare), and a Jimmy Chin/Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi fan from the time Meru came out, so seeing Free Solo was an obsession from the minute I knew it was being made. I almost could not wait for it to get here, and we saw it on opening night. Even knowing he makes it, I squirmed in my seat and got all knotted up in the chest. But as much as the climbing action and Alex Honnold’s preternatural lack of fear fascinate me, to me the real drama was in the choice to film such an attempt in the first place.

I like the way some authors depict themes like courage, without actually saying it out loud. That is the mark of a good author! I also like the fact that people of those advanced ages can have a loving relationship—no one ever writes about them, though. Hey, Neil, if I ever produce a movie (as likely as a snowball in…), I want you o review it!

I admire people who have courage, as I think they live more fully than the rest of us do. And I am always trying to be more courageous myself. I think I’ll see the movie and read the book for inspiration! (In courage that is, I’m far too afraid of heights to ever attempt a climb like that….)

Well ok, you could work in promotions, I’d like to look at both of these now, the movie & the book. Connecting a mountain freeclimber and a book about small town geriatric love is kind of daring in its own way, a darn good post.

I loved “Souls at Night” and recommend Haruf’s’ other novels. He didn’t write many, but they all tals place in Holt, Colorado, and are winderful!! He died a year ago last summer. He is one of my favorite American writers. Did you see the film of the novel on Netflix with Robert Redford and Jane Fonda? Worth watching.

I had heard of Honnold’s incredible feat, but I have not seen the documentary of his ascent. I might not have the nerves to!

But I have read all of Haruf’s novels (he was a fellow Coloradan, after all, until his life was cut short a few years ago), and I like the connection you make between the film and “Our Souls At Night.” Part of the movie version was filmed in an old house in Colorado Springs, which was a big deal, but I don’t plan to see it, even if Robert Redford is in it. 🙂

Hi. I had a feeling that you’d be well-acquainted with Haruf’s works. By the way, Redford’s latest movie is The Old Man With The Gun. It’s not great, but it’s very enjoyable. Sissy Spacek is in it. Enjoy the holiday tomo0rrow.

Great reviews. But this is the part of your post which I liked the most; ‘Hell, for much of humanity, simply getting out of bed and facing the day is a brave act, considering the nasty, even horrific, realities facing them.’. Every day courage, day after day, inspires me. Many affected by the fire in California will need that courage (and resilience) now and for months (possibly years) to come.

Great reviews, I was thinking of quoting a sentence of yours, but Gallivanta (above) beat me to it.
And thank you, I thought Benediction was Kent Haruf’s last book. Love the way his writing goes right to the heart. I’m so pleased there is another book. I’m now going to get ‘Our Souls at Night.’

My husband’s main hobby is “indoor” climbing and here in Scotland we have many very tall climbing walls. I just couldn’t contemplate him attempting such a climb unaided – Scary stuff indeed. Will look out for that film (but make sure he doesn’t get any ideas!).

Thanks for the heads up about the book too – Sounds like something to add to the “wish list”.

The book sure sounds good. I’m sure the documentary too. Just rock climbers and their ilk don’t do much for me. I appreciate thir excellence but as someone with little head for heights I find them kind of irrelevant

I guess that this Alex Honnold, not a kid anymore at 33 years, climbing big walls, is another Reinhold Messner, or Krzysztof Wielicki of climbing mountains solo, Messner made the first solo ascent of Mount Everest, the first ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen, along with Peter Habeler, and was the first climber to ascend all fourteen peaks over 8,000 metres (26,000 ft) above sea level. He was also the first person to cross Antarctica and Greenland with neither snowmobiles nor dog sleds. Furthermore, he crossed the Gobi Desert alone, he has many books.

Maybe one of these days, a woman like Addie may have the guts to come and knock on my door, but I doubt it.
Who knows, I may be afraid to open the door! 🙂

Hi. It’s very good to hear from you. I used to do a fair amount of reading about Mount Everest and other tall mountains. I read one of Messner’s books about his Everest climbs. He is a totally amazing person. His stamina and determination and abilities are mind-blowing.

This sounds like an interesting two-toned movie balancing the mountain scaling with the blossoming relationship back in town. That woman really does have guts with her proposal–the same kind of guts as Alex but just in a different context. I guess having guts and and acting on them helps one not to have too many regrets later in life!

Hey there, Stacey. I suppose that everyone has regrets. But it can really gnaw at a person if there were paths that they truly wanted to take, but didn’t. Unless reincarnation is true, there are no second chances!

I’m very impressed by Alex Honnold’s achievement, and his tremendous courage.

The plot of Our Souls At Night caught me, so is Haruf’s writing style. The extract you picked up brilliantly demonstrated his distinctive narrative skills. I know it’s the right book for me. Will get a copy soon. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Norway but I hope it’s been a good one for you, Neil. Take care.

Interesting you say that Alex Honnold doesn’t brag about courage. That seems to be the way with rock climbers and mountaineers. I’ve just seen a short Chris Bonnington film, where he talked about achieving the summit of Everest at the age of 50. Far from bragging, it seemed to humble him.

This does sound like an interesting film, and actually, I’m glad for the spoiler. When it comes to someone really climbing a mountain without safety equipment, I’d rather be sure they make it before I get involved. I’m squeamish, but I like spectacular scenery.

Hey Neal,
Not sure if anyone has mentioned these two other films as well to you, but check out Valley Uprising (Alex Honnold makes an appearance there too), and Meru (made by the same team that directed Free Solo). In fact Jimmy Chin features in Meru as one of the climbers. Both great documentaries. I’ve yet to see Free Solo, but looking forward to it.

Climbing terrifies me – even the kind with ropes and harnesses. I think I would have trouble watching someone free solo. These kinds of death defying stunts are just too stressful for me to watch, even knowing that they end successfully.

The story line of Our Souls At Night sounds very familiar. Wasn’t made into a movie?

it’s great to read about older people having a relationship; I am now in that category and we are having a full on relationship and have been for five and a half years. Life is good 🙂 It is good that some books and films celebrate this